Broken Dreams and Papercuts
by Acaizer
Summary: "I just need to see Luke as Kronos, just one time, then I'll know that he really is evil, and I'll be able to let go." At least, that's what Thalia tells herself. One-shot, drabble.


**Broken Dreams and Papercuts**

* * *

_And I don't understand how I can feel this pain and still be alive_

_And all these broken dreams, and all these memories, are killing me inside_

It is routine for her now, so much so that she does not even think any more as she shoots down the monsters – pull the string back, let go, pull the string back, let go again. She has only been with the Hunters for two years, but already she is used to what she is expected to do.

"Thalia!" The girl shoots down one more monster and turns for a second to see who had just called her name.

"What is it, Phoebe?" she asks, already turning back to the monsters and shooting three with one arrow.

"Kronos," the girl gasps. "He's coming by Williamsburg Bridge!"

Thalia flinches. It is her natural reaction every time she hears the name. For Luke Castellan is Kronos now, and Kronos is Luke Castellan. They are one and the same, and the boy she once loved has been swallowed up by the Titan.

She knows she has to go, has to face him, or she will never be able to forget him.

"You're in charge," she barks to Phoebe, and dashes off.

She knows that this is wrong. She should not be abandoning her Hunters, but it is clear to her now that the monsters on their side of Manhattan are merely decoys, meant to keep them away from the main battle. But Percy is not sixteen yet, and the prophecy cannot be fulfilled. Not yet. The battle going on at the Williamsburg Bridge, that is not the final battle, which is why she can go alone, and leave her Hunters to fight the decoys, instead of taking them with her.

That is what she tells herself. _I just need to see Luke as Kronos, just one time, then I'll know that he really is evil, and I'll be able to let go._

She runs, faster than she ever has before. Her legs pump back and forth, back and forth, when a cold wind surrounds her. She shivers, thankful for her Hunter's jacket. She turns her head back, to see if the Hunters are doing fine – she knows they should be, but she wants to be sure – but the wind snaps her head back, forcing her to face front. It is then she realises that she can no longer control her legs.

She screams as the wind carries her higher and higher. Pretending not to be scared would be of no use, as there is no one around her to lie to anyway. She zooms over buildings, and suddenly the wind disappears, depositing her unceremoniously on the cold, hard ground.

Thalia slowly gets up, wincing from the pain and what she considers stupidity from screaming. _After all, it's just heights, _she tells herself. Turning to check if her bow and arrow are still there, and Aegis still on her arm, she runs towards the bridge, where most of the fighting seems to be taking place.

She has only reached the outer ring of battle when Luke – no, _Kronos – _approaches, and Percy meets him. They begin to fight and all Thalia can do is watch.

Her memories come rushing to her: the first time she met Luke, the two of them meeting Annabeth, her slowly falling for him. His promise to Annabeth and her. Then she remembers Luke as she fought him on Mount Othrys, and she snaps out of memory world into reality.

She feels her heart harden, as she realises that she no longer knows the person fighting Percy, that he is not Luke, and that Luke Castellan, _her _Luke Castellan, is gone, replaced by an untrustworthy bastard, someone who deserves to die.

She takes a step back, ready to join the Hunters again, to fight against Luke Castellan. She was the only one of the two of them who had fallen in love, yes, but she would be the one to strike back harder.

At least, that was what she told herself.

_What do you want? I've moved on  
Everything is going well, at least that's what I tell myself_

* * *

**A/N: **...do you guys understand the wind bit? It's 'cause the wind gods were helping the demigods during the Titan War. So they were _nice _wind gods and decided to help her. Either that, or they just wanted to speed things up a little... Think of it what you will. (: I couldn't really add the explanation in because it kinda disrupted the flow of the story.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this. The song lyrics are from _Was I the Only One _and _Papercut_, both by Jordin Sparks.

Keep dreaming,

-Ally


End file.
